with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Michael Gahler, Simon Coveney, Bernd Posselt, Maria Martens, Nirj Deva, and Charles Tannock,
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on Darfur

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

European Parliament resolution on Darfur

B6‑B6-0250/2006

The European Parliament,

–
recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in Sudan and Darfur in particular,

–
having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.
whereas the Darfur region conflict between Government forces, pro-government militias and rebels has led to at least 180 000 casualties and over 2 million internally displaced persons and refugees over the past three years,

B.
whereas the scale of the human rights crisis in Darfur remains massive, with continued killings, rapes, banditry and attacks on IDP camps, forcing 50 000 people from their homes since January,

C.
whereas increasing attacks on aid workers are preventing urgently needed relief and forcing UNHCR and other relief agencies to reduce their efforts in the region,

D.
whereas the ceasefire in the region is not respected, whereas rebels of the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) have increased their ceasefire violations, and considering that Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels have said that they will ask for self-determination of the region unless a solution to the conflict can be reached soon,

E.
whereas the Darfur conflict - and impunity from prosecution - is increasingly affecting the stability of neighbouring eastern Chad and constitutes a threat to international peace and security,

F.
whereas the current African Union Mission in Sudan is too small (7 000 troops) and insufficiently equipped to improve the current humanitarian crisis in the region,

G.
noting the Communiqué of the 46th meeting of the African Peace and Security Council of 10 March 2006 and its decision to support in principle the transition of AMIS to a United Nations operation,

H.
whereas the Government of Sudan has said that such a UN operation would amount to colonialism and has threatened to leave the African Union if that were to happen,

I.
whereas the UN Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2005, following which an investigation was launched, resulting in the names of 51 potential suspects so far given to the Court in the Hague,

J.
whereas the Government of Sudan, in an attempt to avoid Sudanese officials suspected of war crimes to be sent to the ICC, has set up its own special courts in Darfur to deal with war crimes and human rights violations,

K.
whereas to this date, these special courts have not prosecuted any officials, militia or other individuals responsible for serious human rights violations in Darfur,

1.
Expresses its deep concern at the slow solution in Darfur and calls on the EU and the international community to press the conflicting parties to negotiate in good faith at the Abuja peace talks in order to seek a rapid peace settlement, allowing for security on the ground to finally be ensured and for a forceful humanitarian relief effort;

2.
Deeply regrets that the Sudanese government has not delivered on commitments to secure roads and disarm the Janjaweed militia in the region, and whereas African Union commanders claim that forces allied to the government continue to support the militia,

3.
Calls for a dialogue on Darfur to take place immediately following a peace agreement, including civil society and all other stakeholders in the region;

4.
Calls on the UN Security Council to urgently act on its primary responsibility to protect civilians, reverse the "ethnic cleansing" that has taken place in Darfur, and ensure that civilians in eastern Chad are protected;

5.
Expresses deep concern over the escalation of violence on both sides of the Sudan-Chad borders that increase insecurity and endanger the Sudanese peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria;

6.
Condemns and joins the UNHCR in calling for an end to forced conscription of Sudanese refugees in Chad; calls for the implementation of a Chad-Sudan border monitoring force, as foreseen in the accord signed by the Presidents of the two countries on 10 February 2006;

7.
Urges the Security Council to take all necessary measures, including passage of any relevant resolutions to ensure the deployment of a sizable and sufficiently equipped UN force in Darfur on or before 1 October 2006 (following expiry of the mandate of the African Union mission in Darfur on 30 September 2006), extend the arms embargo in Darfur throughout Sudan and support the African Union's efforts in Darfur to reach full operational capacity and to robustly interpret its mandate to protect civilians until transition;

8.
Calls on the EU and the international community to upgrade their political responsibility and to do the heavy diplomatic lifting to authorise the immediate deployment of a stabilisation force;

9.
Calls on the EU, the US and other international actors to take all necessary action to help end impunity by enforcing the Security Council sanction regime and seeking for this regime to include targeted sanctions on individuals obstructing the deployment of the UN force and otherwise contributing to abuses of civilians;

10.
Requests that AMIS make its records of human rights violations and violations of humanitarian law public on a regular monthly basis;

11.
Calls on all parties to the conflict to allow unhindered access to and ensure the safety of all humanitarian workers in accordance with international humanitarian law;

12.
Condemns all instances of violations of human rights and humanitarian law and encourages all parties in the Darfur conflict to end all violations of human rights and humanitarian law; calls on the government to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court;

13.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the government of Sudan, the African Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations.